We have some bittersweet news to share. Angus, the remarkable English Springer Spaniel who spent nearly a decade sniffing out C. diff in Canadian hospitals, has officially retired. He is 13 years old, and he has more than earned his rest.

Here at the Peggy Lillis Foundation, we’ve had a special place in our hearts for Angus for a long time. In 2020, we were proud to honor him and his handler, Teresa Zurberg, with our Innovator Award at our virtual gala. Watching them accept that award was one of the highlights of that year for all of us.

What is a C. diff Detection Dog?

So who is Angus, and what exactly does a C. diff detection dog do? He’s not your average dog. Angus was selected for pioneering work on C. diff detection in 2015, when Vancouver General Hospital launched a pilot project to explore whether dogs could detect the harmful bacterium. He began training in February 2016 and started active duty in 2017.

C. diff — short for Clostridium difficile — is a dangerous bacterial infection. It poses a serious threat to patients with weakened immune systems, particularly those undergoing antibiotic treatment. It can cause severe diarrhea and other life-threatening complications. Despite strict sanitation protocols, the bacteria can persist on surfaces such as old furniture and medical equipment. Standard testing can miss environmental contamination that puts vulnerable patients at risk. That’s where a trained detection dog like Angus becomes invaluable.

Using his exceptional sense of smell, Angus helped medical teams locate hidden traces of C. diff in hospital environments; areas that are often difficult for humans to detect. We interviewed Angus and Teresa a few years back on this very website, and learned just how demanding the work was. Angus would search four to six units a day, and he and Teresa also spent time answering staff and patient questions about what they do and doing on-the-spot education for staff, patients, and families about C. diff. That’s a full day’s work by any measure.

A Career That Spanned a Continent

Over his career, the numbers are staggering. Angus worked in 32 hospitals across Canada, inspecting thousands of rooms and medical units. He spent approximately 85 percent of his life serving patients in British Columbia and beyond.

At the 2020 PLF Virtual Gala, we recognized Angus and Teresa with our Innovator Award for bringing this creative, evidence-based approach to C. diff infection prevention. Their work showed that fighting hospital-acquired infections doesn’t always look like what you’d expect; sometimes it looks like a Springer Spaniel on a very important mission.

Retirement Is Well Deserved

Teresa Zurberg organized a retirement celebration on March 29. While Angus remained capable, she noted that age had begun to take a toll on his body. “He’s going on to new adventures,” she said. In retirement, Angus is enjoying a quieter, but still adventurous, life. He has even taken up a new role, helping locate lost arrows at a fish and game club in Surrey, British Columbia.

Teresa hopes Angus will be honored with a Canadian service medal for his contributions. We think that’s a wonderful idea. And we’d like to add our own thanks. Angus and Teresa showed the world that the fight against C. diff can come from unexpected places — including four paws and a very talented nose. Importantly, other trained dogs have now joined the canine detection program he helped pioneer. Angus didn’t just protect patients; he opened the door to an entirely new approach to C. diff detection. That is a legacy worth celebrating.

Why C. diff Detection Matters

C. diff infects nearly half a million Americans every year and kills tens of thousands. Better detection — whether through lab testing, environmental screening, or, yes, trained dogs — is one of the most important tools we have to stop its spread. Innovative thinkers like Teresa and her four-legged partner prove that solutions can come from anywhere. To read our original Q&A with Angus and Teresa, click here.

From everyone at the Peggy Lillis Foundation: thank you, Angus. You are a very good boy — the best, actually. Enjoy every nap you’ve earned.